herm

Kyle, I haven't personally seen the LN22A650 yet, but I did compare the LG and the A450 today at Best Buy (both selling for $450). Are you also getting the same mount? Though I consider Samsung to be a better brand, I think I might be going with the LG primarily due to the smaller overall dimensions. The A450 appeared to have a slightly better image, but I didn't have time to adjust the picture settings to make an accurate assessment. In terms of connections, the LG lacked RCA audio outputs, but I don't anticipate using anything other than the built-in speakers (unless there's an auxillary input on the Jensen stereo?). The one thing that sort of bugs me about the options in this size range is that the resolutions are based on PC displays (1680x1050 in this case), and this is not a true 16:9 aspect ratio, resulting in black bars on the top and bottom when displaying HD broadcasts. Herm

Perhaps I'm not qualified to speak to this topic, as I don't yet have an Oliver. But, I like Steve's idea with the tubing clamps. Any reason those clamps couldn't be installed on the inside of the closet to keep it out of view? I imagine that the ends of the table leg would scratch the fiberglass interior of the closet if left unrestrained in there. Also, my concern over rigidity of the collapsable post might not be critical if the table is securely anchored to the back wall of the trailer.

Cherie & Chris, I see you must be getting a decent signal out there in the playa, since I saw a post from you yesterday. If you don't mind, I've got another question about your mount: I'm wondering if you're anywhere near the upper or lower limit of the mounts height adjustment, either while positioned high against the upper cabinets or down low over the dinette table. Since my 22" TV's overall dimensions and VESA location will likely vary somewhat from your 24" monitor, I'm wondering if I need to adjust the mount location accordingly. The difference between displays is minor, so unless you're at the limit (I'm most concerned about the upper limit), I should be fine. In case anyone else is interested, I've short-listed my TV choices down to these 3 (in no particular order): Samsung LN22A650, Samsung LN22A450, and LG 22LG30. Thanks, Herm

Great suggestions, everyone. Additionally or alternatively, I'd recommend a first aid kit for the tow vehicle. You may not always be near the Oliver when disaster strikes.

Though this might seem like a great idea on the surface, I would worry about compromising the rigidity of the table support when extended. I fear that it would take more than just two nested pipe sections held by a transverse pin to make a firm connection. Personally, I don't think it's a big deal to store the table leg in the closet. But, if you want to pursue this further, maybe some sort of clamping collar would be something to consider? I have a fairly long extendable painting pole/handle that has a plastic collar that locks two sections of fiberglass together, and that's where this idea came from.

Robert, I can't say I'm completely surprised, but I'm sorry to see you bow out of this forum. I'm sure the Oliver company needs you more than we do, and I certainly wouldn't want this forum to distract you or the company of it's goal of building the finest fiberglass trailer. Keep up the good work! Herm

Thanks for the info, Cherie. Hopefully the factory will be able to duplicate this installation without any further information from me (as I have nothing else to offer). You know, it's kind of funny. When I first started researching the Oliver and was reading about all the cool things you guys were adding, I was thinking "man, we should do that too". But now, after exercising some budget restraint and becoming honest about how we really use a travel trailer, the only technomadia edition option we'll probably end up with is a TV mount...but it's one heck of a mount!

Believe it or not, the FWG-110B is already discontinued. It looks like this is the current replacement: http://www.chiefmfg.com/productdetail.a ... ctID=10741. Does it look any different than what you have? Did Oliver supply this item or did you purchase it yourself? I'll definitely be looking forward to your more in-depth report about this item and the rest of the trailer in the coming weeks/months.

Well, that's certainly the answer I was hoping for...that the actual GVWR is indeed higher than 4000 lbs. As long as Oliver is willing to put this in writing (i.e. on the weight decal of the trailer), I'll be a happy camper. Even so, I'll still be doing what I can to keep the loaded weight to a minimum, for the benefit of my TV and fuel economy.

Chris & Cherie, Just wondering how your super-articulating TV mount is working out for you, and whether you would have done anything different. Also, does the 24" screen feel TOO big, and does it fit between the windows when stowed in the corner? What exact mount did you install? I'm somewhat torn between the Jensen 1907DC on the standard mount or a 22"+ HDTV (purchased by myself) on a mount like yours. I don't care too much about the fact that the Jensen is 12V, but supposedly it's a more rugged design for vibration, moisture, etc. I just don't know how well a regular LCD TV would hold up in an RV environment. I'd really appreciate your thoughts, as well as anyone else's.

As was stated before, the crux of this issue is the CCC not the actual base weight. You can always upgrade the TV to accommodate a heavier trailer; however, there's not much you can do about a marginal CCC (other than tossing things out to reduce weight). For all we know, the Oliver is already capable of more than 4000 lbs. gross (let's hope so), but that's a call the mfg. is going to need to make...hopefully before this festers too long. I too typically leave the house with a full fresh water tank, and that is not unreasonable. I always subtract the weight of full water and propane to arrive at a 'usable CCC' when comparing trailers. Simply stated, 250 lbs. is insufficient for any travel trailer. FWIW, I also confirmed prior to purchase that the 240/2400 weights (the only ones ever published) correspond to an Elite model. Honestly, with an 1100 lb. CCC (750 lb. usable CCC), the few number of options I was adding on top of the Elite, and the limited storage space, I did not think it would be remotely possible to reach the gross weight. That scenario changes significantly when you reduce the CCC by 500 lbs.

Yes, it's certainly nice to be able to choose our own fabric. But at the same time, it can be a little overwhelming considering the vast number of options. We were almost ready to purchase a soft, marine-grade vinyl, but ended up changing our minds yesterday and bought a tan micro-suede fabric. This should match nicely with the wood accents (micro shelf and dinette tray) and the birch vinyl plank flooring we selected.

First, I want to thank everyone who took the time to weigh their trailer and post the results. Though I'm a little shocked at how much the weight has escalated in the evolution of the design, I'll be a little better prepared knowing the facts in advance. Fortunately, I'll still be comfortably below my tow capacity. What DOES concern me a little, however, is that the CCC has actually decreased from 1100 lbs. (3500-2400) to only 600 lbs. (4000-3400), based on Astrocaster's sticker info. After subtracting about 350 lbs. for full fresh water (including water heater) and full propane tanks, that only leaves about 250 lbs. for additional gear. To me, that's cutting it awfully close. I would hope that the factory consider raising the GVWR to at least 4500 lbs. to provide a reasonable amount of cargo carrying capacity. This figure would put the CCC back to 1100 lbs., which is where the original design started. With a 5000 lb. axle and a strengthened frame, I do not see why this would not be possible. In all reality, the current 4000 GVWR limit will likely be exceeded by many owners. BuffaloBob and Northwoods, any chance of this happening?

Chris, thanks for sharing the info on the tri fuel kit...I have not seen this one yet and will likely order the same thing. I too don't appreciate fuel vapor odors inside my TV, but it's nice to have the ability to switch fuel sources if necessary. One thing that surprised me is that the unit uses a low-pressure LP supply, so you're tap is located downstream of the regulator assembly. I was planning on running the generator using the optional LP quick-connect (inside the bumper), but it's my understanding that this one provides unregulated LP pressure. So, it looks like the quick-connect would only serve the BBQ, and an additional low-pressure connection will be required for the generator? Herm

I too am struggling with fabric selection at the moment, and thankfully others have already been through this process. I like what I see in SeaDawg's link and found at least one contender. Question for the fabric guru's...is 60 rayon/40 poly an appropriate blend? Also, I see that most fabrics come in 54" width, not the 60" width that is supposedly required per Robert's post in this thread. Any further suggestions would be appreciated. Herm

Thanks for the Rock Tamer recommendation, Sherry. I don't expect to travel on any gravel roads, but you never know where you find yourself sometimes...better safe than sorry, I guess. Also, I never even considered mudflaps for the Oliver..I bet that keeps the undercarriage a little cleaner. The Rock Tamers seem to get very favorable reviews, and I see that Cabela's sells them for about $190 (if anyone else in interested). Assuming they're not too wide for my TV, I'll probably be ordering a set in the near future.

Thanks Cherie for posting such a thorough list! I'm getting excitied just reading about the delivery process, and it's going to be a useful checklist for us in 1-1/2 months or so. We haven't camped in a couple years, so it's easy to forget some of the basic things (like RV TP...wouldn't that be awful). One questions for you & Chris: What ball height measurement did they give you, and did you raise it any to account for the squat of the TV due to the tongue weight. Is the trailer sitting perfectly level while hitched? Herm

I guess I severly underestimated the strength of the Blazer tailgate! Even though this is obviously not your buddy, it still sort of scares me that SOMEBODY actually did this. Wow!

I noticed Montainborn has some heavy-duty mudflaps on the back of his Jeep (looks like same ones you see on semi trailers), and that got me thinking about the issue of protecting the front of the Oliver from 'road rash'. For those that have put significant miles on their Olivers, how big of a problem is this? Are mudflaps necessary to keep the Oliver ding-free? Or, is it simply unavoidable?

It is also my understanding that they are currently using 5000# axles, which is probably overkill, but I'll gladly take it. However, I would not necessarily assume that the frame is designed for more than the GVWR of 3500#. I don't know that the frame strength has been quantified yet.

Though it sounds like you're mind is already made up, I'd be happy to share my opinion since I've had the chance to see both an Airstream and the Oliver. I was specifically looking for a trailer in the +/- 7' wide category. The Airstream Safari Sport models did not impress me (carpet walls, few windows), and the Bambi's are the typical 8' wide which makes rearward visiblity tough with a midsize SUV. On the other hand, that extra width does make for a nice floorplan, and the aluminum interior looks sharp. However, the biggest problem for me was justifying the high price. In my opinion, the Oliver delivers a lot more bang for the buck...but if you don't like the look of fiberglass, maybe it's not for you. Personally, I think it gives it a modern 'marine feel' and it is a material that will age more gracefully over time. Combined with the aluminum frame, it is a trailer that should never rot or rust. I truly believe that this will be the last trailer I buy, and I'm no where near retirement (unless I get lucky). I hope this helps...if not, keeping asking questions.

Doug, I'm not sure if mine is actually in production yet, but I did sign off on the invoice last Thursday. I briefly talked to Robert yesterday, mainly because I still haven't made selections on awning color, flooring, and fabric. Before I ask about flipping the rear windows around like you proposed, I'm hoping to do a little more investigation on whether this has ever been done before by other manufacturers and whether there might be any negative consequences in doing so. Even the photos on MaxxAir's website show the covers over the operable sash on the rear side of the window.

Actually on an OEM installation with the LCD wall control, it is capable of 4 speeds, but regardless, Doug is correct in that it consumes a LOT more power, which will be a deal-breaker for many. The LCD wall control does eliminate controls on the fan itself, so it's not redundant, and it has the benefit of placing the thermostat (with actual temperature settings) at a remote location, not on the fan itself. So, it sort of comes down to which features matter the most to you. If you have roof-mounted solar panels, you may also have space restrictions to consider. Another thought on air intake while the fan is exhausting (during rain events)...opening the bathroom window? Even if the bathroom got drenched in a heavy downpour, I would think the worst thing that would happen is you'd put a little rain water in the gray tank. And, it would not be a security risk to leave open while away from the trailer. Does that seem reasonable?...I'm still on the fence about the Window/Maxx covers.

Hey, that's an excellent idea Doug. At least one of us is thinking this morning! Seems like you'd want the operable portion on the 'windward' side of the trailer for better access anyway. I guess I better fire off another email to Robert...hopefully this won't be the one that breaks the camels back.

The Window/Maxx covers look like a great solution, at least while parked. Being that they are installed on the trailing edge of the window, I assume it would act like a rain scoop while trailering though. I'll probably get a pair too, working in conjunction with a MaxxFan roof vent, to allow optimal ventilation rain or shine. I've always been a fan of the jalousie style windows, but I hardly ever see those anymore. There were great in our old trailer and could be left cracked open regardless of the weather. Too bad they more or less disappeared. Thanks, Steve, for your reassuring comments on the high quality build of the Oliver trailer. I too did not have the benefit of touring the factory before ordering, and I placed my order based largely on the facts available and the comments from extremely satisfied owners on this forum, like yourself. Although my wife is a little skeptical (due to not having spent much time on this forum and the manufacturer's website), I know we won't be disappointed.